Russia warns response if European security guarantees rejected by West: OSCE Envoy

Vienna [Austria], January 13 (ANI/Sputnik): Russia will have to take "necessary" measures if the United States and NATO fail to provide a constructive response to Russian-requested security guarantees within reasonable time, Russian Permanent Representative to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Alexander Lukashevich, said on Thursday.
"If we do not hear a constructive response to the proposals we made within reasonable time and the aggressive policy toward Russia continues, [we] will have to draw corresponding conclusions and take all necessary measures to maintain a strategic balance of powers and prevent unacceptable threats to our national security," Lukashevich said at the OSCE Permanent Council.
He added that "any attempts to drag on the process of constructive negotiations on security guarantees in the Russia-US and Russia-NATO dialogues, or to narrow it down to a pointless exchange of positions over and over again, will result in the inevitable deterioration of the security situation for all countries without exception."
In December 2021, Russia released drafts of agreements in which it proposed that NATO and the US agree to mutual security guarantees in Europe. The proposed guarantees included NATO not expanding further eastward, not deploying short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching either side, and Ukraine and other former Soviet republics not being made members of the alliance.
Russia and the United States discussed strategic stability in Geneva from Sunday to Monday. On Wednesday, the consultation on European security guarantees was continued at the NATO-Russia Council in Brussels. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that the US and NATO had promised to provide their response in writing, which Moscow expects to receive within a week. (ANI/Sputnik)